Did I have unrealistic expectations of the cleaner?

[Catingle]

I had a cleaner for a one-off clean yesterday to prep for guests staying.

We have a 3 bed house, bathroom, downstairs loo and en-suite. Large kitchen-diner and small living room.

I asked for a standard clean of all rooms except 2 of the bedrooms I wanted a more through clean (skirtings etc).

Rooms were tidy ahead of the cleaner arriving.

Cleaner was booked for 4 hours.

Was I asking an unreasonable amount in the time?

My cleaner comes for three hours. House is tidy before she arrives
In this time she hoovers:
front room, small kitchen and dining room. Hall. 1 bedroom, upstairs hall.
Cleans kitchen - surfaces and cupboard fronts
Cleans 2 bathrooms and a guest toilet. Mops all floors.
So I think 4 hours is reasonable for what you wanted done. But it does depend how dirty everything was.

But i wouldn’t expect to do skirting, picture frames or under the bed in that time. Also the bin I do that. First clean is always longer

4hrs for a thorough, detailed one-off clean probably isn’t enough. Even small kitchens and bathrooms can be very time consuming.

Remember she doesn't know your house and that makes a big difference. I have regularly cleaning for 3 hours each week - a few bathrooms so 4 hours as a one off doesn't feel long enough.

I would have expected a decent clean in all rooms. Cerys my not missing any obvious bits which she has!
My cleaner in four hours would do two full bathrooms and the loo, mop wash the hard floors and vacuum all the others. Dust everything. Do the kitchen. She'd even have time to clean out a kitchen cupboard or two.
I would NOT expect her in that time to do the fridge or oven or wash windows.

What products and cloths/sponges/dusters did you provide?

We have a house of similar size that is down in 2 hours. No deep cleans anywhere though, just basic dust and hoover in bedrooms. I wouldn’t expect her to be cleaning the cabinet doors or fridge or skirting though in that time.

That's unrealistic for a first clean

If you’re expecting areas to be deep cleaned I don’t think that’s enough time unless you have 2 cleaners.

I have a much bigger house and skirtings etc are included in every clean and it takes 4 hours. 4 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms, kitchen. All cabinets cleaned for handprints, bins emptied etc. dusted everywhere.

Your cleaner does not sound good.

Oh and if I ask my cleaner to change all the sheets, she also manages to do that. 4.5 hours max..

Agree it doesn't sound enough time for a one off thorough clean.

But I would expect the cleaner would know this if they are experienced and should have said so.

Yes four hours is not much time for a house that big especially not a deep clean of two rooms. I'd say six was better.

Two hours got us a very basic surface clean of the two bedrooms, kitchen/lounge and the bathroom. No dusting, skirting boards etc.

Oooh are you prepping for 4 in a bed stay? They always check ridiculous places for dust

That does seem like a lot in the time for a one-off, but the cleaner should have agreed what would be done, in what time & for what cost £. Was all this discussed and agreed beforehand? For one-off cleans, I do a home consultation and type up what I’ll do and give a fixed price. I then use that quote as a checklist for myself on the day.

Doesn’t seem, I meant!!

I’m a cleaner and I love jobs like this! The most frequently I clean for anyone is monthly. I only really do this type of clean.

Your set up sounds similar to ours (3 bedroom, bathroom, en suite, lounge, kitchen-diner) and I book a 4hour clean as catch up/standard. Our cleaner is amazing and it only just gets done in the time. If I want anything deep cleaned or extras then I either forgo one of the rooms or add extra time on top.

I think you were being unrealistic. My cleaner comes for 4 hours weekly. For a deep clean I'd expect at least 6 hours.

4 hours is too tight.

I have had two one off cleans and they were never as good as my regular cleaners. It is hard to say really as dirt levels in a house can vary a lot. Also stuff like the front of kitchen cupboards, mine are cream and no fancy bits to have to have to poke in to and as cream easy to spot any splashes. I would say it’s not long enough fir a deep clean.